Red Light Cameras

Photo and Video Enforcement Program (Red Light Cameras)
In concert with all of the Village’s traffic safety programs, the goal of this program is to make our community roads safer and reduce automobile-related tragedies by addressing red light running. The campaign seeks to re-establish respect for traffic signals in an effort to enhance the safety of residents and visitors. The aim is also to reduce the number and severity of crashes in addition to injuries and fatalities caused by dangerous and aggressive driving.

The use of adequate yellow signal timing reduces red light violations and injury related crashes, but longer yellow timing used in conjunction with red light cameras provides a more significant decrease in incidents of red light violating.

GURNEE, IL - June 1, 2009 - The Village of Gurnee will begin the red light camera 30-day warning period on Saturday, June 6th. Motorists who violate red lights during this period will be notified through a warning letter, but will not receive a citation. The 30-day warning period will conclude on Sunday, July 5th.

Traditional traffic law enforcement is intensive and high-risk. Police departments rely exclusively on the presence of officers to observe violations and cite offenders, which is limiting. When officers observe a violation, it is not always possible to safely stop the violator because to make the stop, the officer may have to speed or run a red light.

Red light cameras help communities enforce traffic laws by automatically photographing and video taping vehicles whose drivers violate red lights. A red light camera system is connected to the traffic signal and to sensors that monitor traffic flow at the crosswalk or stop line. There is constant low-resolution digital video being recorded. The system continuously monitors the traffic signal. Read More

Red light violations are one of the major causes of crashes, deaths and injuries at signalized intersections. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 20 percent of drivers do not obey intersection signals. The NHTSA reports that crashes caused by red light violators result in more than 800 fatalities and 165,000 injuries annually. Read More

A violation occurs when a motorist enters an intersection after the signal light has turned red. Motorists trapped inadvertently in an intersection when the signal changes to red (e.g., waiting to turn left) are not red light violators. Read More

As part of the Village's public information campaign for the new Red Light Photo Enforcement cameras, the Police Department held three public forums in May 2009. These forums provided residents with information about the new technology, the Village's program, and what constitutes a violation. The information provided at these forums is available as a PDF. Just click the link below to view the information.

Download the PDF of the Gurnee Police Department Photo Enforcement Program Brochure to learn more about why Red Light Cameras have been installed at several intersections in Gurnee as well as how they work. Read More